More than 1,000 students facing financial crises or barriers to graduation received almost $2 million in support during the first year of a campuswide initiative that streamlines emergency and completion aid into a single application process.

On a campus as expansive as MSU, students in need often must visit multiple offices across campus in search of emergency aid, with resources available across departments and colleges, student affairs offices as well as institutionally. This fragmented process can make it challenging for students to both find and secure enough funding to continue or complete their academic journey at MSU.

In summer 2024, through the work of Renata Opoczynski, assistant provost for Undergraduate Student Success, the Office of Undergraduate Education successfully applied for a state of Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential, or MiLEAP, grant to create a coordinated process across campus.

“We were making students jump through numerous hoops, often with conflicting deadlines or expectations during extremely difficult or stressful moments in their lives,” Opoczynski explained. “I saw an opportunity to redesign how we engage students in that process in a way that not only made it easier for them but also made it more efficient for the staff on campus supporting students.”

With the grant support, the Office of Undergraduate Education’s Strategic Retention Unit brought together a cross-collaborative group of student support units, offices and colleges to design the Spartan Undergraduate Completion and Emergency Fund Application.

Partnerships in success

Through the application, featuring partner funds from across campus, students can complete a single application for support. These funds are used to help students address financial emergencies or overcome barriers to continuing their education and/or graduating. The application is managed by the Strategic Retention Unit with more than 18 fund managers from across campus participating.

“We’re able to not only solve an issue that could be affecting a student in the moment, but they’re actually able to see an ability to move forward and an ability to keep going,” said Justin St. Charles, strategic retention manager with the Strategic Retention Unit. “Sometimes they invest so much time and energy of their own personhood into this institution that they’re running out of gas. Sometimes, this is enough of an investment from Michigan State University to say, ‘We believe in you. Let’s get you over this finish line.’”

The Spartan Undergraduate Completion and Emergency Fund Application launched in January 2025. Through May 10, 2026, the Strategic Retention Unit received 1,735 applications. Of those applications, 1,081 were funded for a total of more than $1.79 million, with nearly one-third, or about $573,000, coming from Strategic Retention Unit–managed resources.

How it works

For students, the application process is simple: They fill out the application, which is then routed to the Office of Financial Aid to determine student eligibility for receiving emergency or completion funding. Once reviewed, the application is sent to the Strategic Retention Unit for a holistic review of the student’s academic progress. Based on this, the application is forwarded to all relevant fund managers from whom a student might be eligible to receive funds; fund managers determine any final award given. The student typically receives the funds in their account within five to seven business days.

Most funding awarded to students supports degree completion, food or housing security, nontuition educational expenses like textbooks and laptops, and unexpected life circumstances.

For instance, the recent war in Iran has led to significant financial concerns for families there and their children at MSU. One student recently received support through the Spartan Undergraduate Completion and Emergency Fund, alleviating some of those concerns.

“I truly appreciate your support and for making this opportunity available for students to reach out and feel comfortable discussing their situation,” the student said. “I will never forget the help that MSU and your teams have given me throughout my education. Your support has made an enormous difference for me and my family during very difficult times. I will carry your kindness with me, and I hope to pay it forward to future Spartans.”

Similarly, the centralized application has allowed the university to respond quickly to local emergencies affecting students. Following the flooding events in early spring and the fire at the Village at Chandler Crossing apartment complex in May, displaced students had a coordinated process in place to receive immediate financial support. All student requests related to the fire were reviewed the same day, and emergency funds were rapidly disbursed so students could replace essential goods and address urgent needs.

Even with the unexpected nature of these events, nearly every student request for support was approved in full, resulting in $20,000 directly distributed to students, the majority of which came from Strategic Retention Unit funds.

“This provides a respite from worry and an opportunity to be able to engage fully as a Michigan State University student,” St. Charles said.

Funding making a difference

Early indicators are already showing the difference the funding makes.

With the application launching just a year ago, comprehensive persistence data is still being generated, but St. Charles said most students who receive funding have either graduated or persisted into the following semester.

In some instances, awarded funding allowed students who had previously left MSU, for financial or other personal reasons, to reenroll and resume progress toward graduation.

“I have been given the luxury of time with this support. I am now able to immediately return to Michigan State University and continue my career pathway,” said one student who left MSU before earning their degree nearly a decade ago. “The assistance I have quickly received truly re-instills my pride in my school, and I cannot wait to return.”

This support is made possible through a unique and uncommon collaboration in higher education involving several campus partners and the generosity of donors across the campus community, including:

• Office of Financial Aid
• Student Accounts
• Student Affairs
• TRIO Student Support Services
• Detroit M.A.D.E. Scholars Program
• Participating MSU colleges:
  • College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • College of Arts and Letters
  • College of Communication Arts and Sciences
  • College of Education
  • College of Engineering
  • College of Natural Science
  • College of Social Science
  • Eli Broad College of Business
  • Honors College
  • James Madison College
  • Lyman Briggs College
  • Residential College in the Arts and Humanities
• Office of Undergraduate Education Strategic Retention Unit

Bringing these partners into one application process saves students time, allows them to share their stories once rather than being asked to repeatedly revisit potentially sensitive topics, and connects them with funding they may not have known existed.

“You don’t need to know about every small fund you might be eligible for because those opportunities are already built into this process,” said Julia Barnes, strategic retention coordinator with the Strategic Retention Unit. “The goal is really to simplify how students navigate and access the resources available to them.”

Future of the funds

The number of applications completed and the amount of emergency or completion funding requested are expected to rise.

St. Charles said about $100,000 is being awarded every month across all funds, with some months seeing even higher amounts. To sustain that level of support, continued institutional investment and philanthropic support are needed.

“The vast majority of funding sources are donor-supported, and the success of the program would not be possible without their generosity,” Opoczynski said. “Without donors and grants supporting the colleges, central funds or specific populations — like our Transfer Student Opportunity Fund, which is funded by a generous donor — we would not see the great success we have been able to achieve with raising our retention and graduation rates.”

The funding from the MiLEAP grant is set to expire Aug. 31. The importance of funding continuity is clear: Hundreds of students have already received support through the centralized application, with thousands more expected in the coming years.

“We have seen firsthand the transformational power these grants have on students and their success at MSU,” St. Charles said. “Without continued funding, the amount we can provide to students will be dramatically reduced.”

“This assistance provides not only financial relief, but also peace of mind,” said one student, who received a $5,000 award. “It allows me to stay focused on completing my degree and continuing to grow without the weight of financial uncertainty. I’m genuinely thankful for the care and encouragement that MSU continues to show its students, and I feel very supported as part of this community. Thank you again for believing in me and for the incredible work you do to help students succeed.”

St. Charles said it’s MSU’s way of helping students over the finish line.

“It’s truly changing lives for the better,” Barnes added. “Students are really appreciative they can tell their story one time and they have advocates on their side who are able to support them through whatever situation they are navigating.”

“Awarding money is great,” Barnes continued. “But it shows MSU students and our campus partners who are a part of this that we value students here, and we want to make sure they are getting the support that they need, regardless of if it’s financial or not.”

Learn more about the Spartan Undergraduate Completion and Emergency Fund Application and contact the Strategic Retention Unit at retention@msu.edu. Donations can be made to support Strategic Retention at MSU through online giving.